Íslenk Tónlist: Day of Icelandic Music

The powers that be (AKA a slew of Facebook posts by similarly Iceland-obsessed friends) inform me that today is Icelandic Music Day. I have no idea who began this tradition or for what purpose, but apparently the national radio stations played three songs simultaneously at 11:15 local time and Icelanders were encouraged to sing along (to one, or two, or all three? I don’t know). The three songs were:

I learned (er, attempted to mumble-sing) Á Sprengisandi during our kvöldvaka at Hofsós this summer. Anyway, Icelandic Music Day seems like a good excuse to celebrate some of my favorite Icelandic artists. Some are well-known and predictable choices, others (at least I hope) are lesser-known gems:

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Of Monsters and Men

We might as well start it off with something highly predictable. If you haven’t heard about Of Monsters and Men, you have probably been living under a rock (or you are an amenities-shunning, turtle-catching hermit who lives in a shack in the Kentucky backcountry and showers in a barrel of rainwater). Arguably Iceland’s biggest crossover success since Sigur Rós. They sing almost entirely in English, but watch or listen to an interview and you’ll know without a doubt that they are Icelandic. Incidentally, lead singer Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir is my ninth cousin, a fact of which I’m sure she is acutely aware.

Ásgeir Trausti

A young, up-and-coming singer-songwriter. I first heard about him because he performed at A Taste of Iceland in Seattle back in October. I didn’t get to see him then, but I’ve spent hours listening to his music on YouTube.

Ylja

A folksy band that I had the pleasure of seeing in concert at the Stúkuhúsið in Patreksfjörður this summer (at least one of the members is from Patró). Just saw that their single Út is #11 on the RÁS 2 charts. Til hamingju!

Favorite songs: Dúmdaralara, Á Rauðum Sandi (this one is about Rauðisandur, a beautiful red sand beach near Patró and one of my favorite places in Iceland)

Svavar Knútur

A wonderfully friendly and talented fellow who writes his own songs and also brings old Icelandic folk songs to life with new musical settings – basically a troubadour in a lopapeysa. He played a few songs for the Snorri group and taught us a little about Icelandic music history.

Favorite songs: Yfir hóla og yfir hæðir, While the World Burns (both of which he played for us); Baby Will You Marry Me (a duet with Marketa Irglova, of “Once” fame).